Chief Engineer, Unmanned Surface Vessels

The Chief Engineer provides technical leadership, strategic direction, and execution oversight for the design, development, integration, and sustainment of advanced unmanned systems. This role is responsible for end-to-end system engineering across air, ground, maritime, and/or multi-domain unmanned platforms, ensuring mission effectiveness, survivability, cybersecurity resilience, and compliance with applicable defense standards and regulations. The Chief Engineer serves as the primary technical authority for their assigned platform or product area, guiding cross-functional engineering teams, aligning technical roadmaps with customer requirements, and ensuring delivery of high-performance, secure, and reliable systems within cost and schedule constraints. This position works closely with government stakeholders, program management, operations, and executive leadership.

Essential Functions

• Provide overall technical leadership for unmanned system development programs, from concept through deployment and sustainment.
• Serve as the technical authority for system architecture, design trade studies, integration strategies, and risk management.
• Lead system engineering processes including requirements development, decomposition, verification, validation, and configuration management.
• Oversee multidisciplinary engineering teams (mechanical, electrical, software, controls, AI/ML, autonomy, communications, cybersecurity, and systems engineering).
• Develop and maintain technical roadmaps aligned with defense customer needs and emerging operational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable DoD standards, MIL-STDs, airworthiness/safety certifications, cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., RMF), and export regulations (e.g., ITAR/EAR).
• Direct integration of autonomy, navigation, sensors, communications, propulsion, and payload systems into cohesive, mission-ready platforms.
• Lead major technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PRR), ensuring readiness and program maturity at each phase.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks related to reliability, survivability, resilience, and mission performance.
• Support proposal development, customer briefings, and technical strategy discussions with government and defense partners.
• Foster innovation in autonomy, AI-enabled decision-making, resilient communications, and human-machine teaming.
• Mentor senior engineering staff and establish best practices in systems engineering and product development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Standard Essential Functions

• Regular and reliable attendance on a full time basis [or in accordance with posted schedule].
• Responsible for exhibiting professional behavior with both internal and external business associates that reflects positively on the company and is consistent with the company's policies and practices.
• Embodies AEVEX's cultural values and aligns daily actions with department goals and company culture.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Security Clearance -Ability to obtain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI DoD clearance, U.S. Citizenship required
• Demonstrated expertise in complex systems engineering for unmanned or autonomous defense systems.
• Strong knowledge of platform integration across hardware, embedded systems, software, autonomy, and communications.
• Proven ability to lead large, multidisciplinary technical teams in a regulated defense environment.
• Deep understanding of systems architecture, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), and lifecycle management.
• Familiarity with defense acquisition processes and government contracting environments.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity requirements for defense systems, including secure communications and resilient architectures.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior defense stakeholders.
• Understand of supply chain as it relates to autonomous systems development, rapid production scaling and design for manufacturing.

Education / Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field required.
• Master's degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or related field preferred.

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive engineering experience in defense, aerospace, robotics, or autonomous systems development.
• 10+ years of experience with progressive technical experience in engineering roles, with a proven track record of technical design and development
• 7+ years in senior technical leadership roles (e.g., Lead Engineer, Chief Engineer, Technical Director, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience leading at least one full lifecycle unmanned or autonomous system development program.
• Experience interfacing directly with DoD customers, prime contractors, and/or government program offices.
• Background in integrating sensors, navigation systems, propulsion systems, C2 systems, autonomy software, or mission payloads into operational platforms. • Experience with test and evaluation planning, field demonstrations, and operational deployment support.
• Experience with manufacturing technologies that enable rapid development, test and demonstration of capabilities.
• Experience with safety-critical systems and applicable certification standards.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties the employee is: Frequently required to sit, and to reach to use computers and other office equipment For the purpose of this summary, occasionally is used to represent up to 1/3 of the time given to the work day, frequently represents 1/3 to 2/3 of the time and constantly represents 2/3 or more of the

About AEVEX

AEVEX, headquartered in Solana Beach, California, supports the U.S. national security mission and partner nation needs around the world by providing full-spectrum aviation, remote sensing, and analysis solutions. The company's capabilities include custom design and engineering; rapid prototyping; sensor integration and sustainment; aircraft modification and certification; flight test instrumentation and support; mission operations service; advanced intelligence data processing, exploitation, and dissemination solutions; and tailored hardware and software mission-system tools. AEVEX uses agile and customized approaches to rapidly define, develop, and deliver specialized solutions for airborne special mission needs for the U.S. Government, partner nations, and commercial businesses. AEVEX has major offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

AEVEX provides a full suite of comprehensive benefits, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance group coverage with a portion of the premiums paid by the company, professional development funds, and an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with counseling, legal help, child and elder care support, among other benefits for qualified employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

AEVEX is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, breast feeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military and veteran status, marital status, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, physical disability, mental disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.

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